


5 Times Alec Catches Magnus by Surprise and 1 Time he Doesn't Get The Chance.

by unending_happiness



Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: All the cuteness, Alternate Universe - Bookstore, Fluff, Fluff and Humor, M/M, Reading, alec belongs in a novel, and books, book shop cats are the best cats, books are the best too, magnus is such a beautiful human
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-05-26
Updated: 2018-05-26
Packaged: 2019-05-13 23:54:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,828
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14758691
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/unending_happiness/pseuds/unending_happiness
Summary: Magnus is the owner of a fabulous bookstore, and he keeps getting surprised in the best ways by a beautiful reader.





	5 Times Alec Catches Magnus by Surprise and 1 Time he Doesn't Get The Chance.

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Tiger_Tiger_Burning_Bright](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tiger_Tiger_Burning_Bright/gifts).



> My darling Tigs. This fic will have two chapters, one to come, because what was supposed to be a cute meet bookshop AU turned itself into something entirely different at the last minute (What the what?!), and in order to do it justice and get it in on time, I'll have to owe you a Part 2. Forgive me? Soon, I promise. I was so excited to get you, and I hope you love it!

**_An April Saturday in New York City_ **

Thunder rumbled and Alec looked up at the spring sky. He had been so lost in his thoughts that he hadn’t even noticed how it had turned from overcast to ominous. He searched around in his bag for his umbrella, only to come up empty. Of course he hadn’t bothered to grab it, seeing as how he hadn’t been intending on wandering this far from his apartment. He had just needed a break from studying, and the mere thought of the subway was suffocating. Even so, he found that self-preservation had him looking around for a nearby station to keep from getting drenched. He wasn’t very familiar with the area, but he knew there was one just a few blocks around the corner.

He started walking briskly in that general direction when the sky opened up and big fat drops of rain started falling. It wasn’t a good day to have worn a leather jacket, and he vainly thought about how wasteful it was that he had actually spent a few minutes styling his hair. Grad students didn’t have a few spare minutes for anything, especially not ones with full time-jobs.

Alec looked to the nearest store to see if it were a possible spot to wait out the weather, and saw that it was a store selling wedding dresses. Nope, he thought, trying to ignore the rain pelting against his shoulders. Tucking himself as close to the building as possible, he wiped water out of his eyes and looked at the other nearby shops. He spotted one on the corner with a sign that read “books” in plain, gold font, and he decided that one would have to do. If the sign were any indication, it would be the most boring bookstore on the planet, but he was willing to risk standing among twenty copies of _Chicken Soup For The Single’s Soul_ to not have to sit on the subway soaking wet. Worst case scenario, once inside, he could call an uber to take him to the library or a coffee shop.

He lengthened his stride and to get to his destination quickly, and stepped over the threshold of the open wood and glass paned doors. He abruptly stopped short just inside the door, because there was a huge long-haired gray and white cat who was peacefully sleeping in a spot of sun that was stretched across an ornate rug. The cat opened one eye and looked at him, then closed it again and went back to his nap, as if he couldn’t be bothered to care that he was nearly crushed under a huge black boot. Alec couldn’t stop himself from smiling, jealous of both the cavalier attitude and the blissful sleep of the feline. He stood there for a few more moments, then decided that he wouldn’t get any more attention from the big fuzzball, and took a look around.

Alec immediately realized how wrong his first impression about the place had been. His eyes didn’t know what to settle on first, because the shop was full of both style and character, as well as countless books. There were tall dark wood shelves, filled with books, all probably used, from worn recent paperbacks, to beautifully preserved leather bound antiques. To his right was a small counter with an old antique cash register, and he could see floor cushions and velvet furniture tucked into every available corner. The shop was simply bursting at the seams with books. There were books stacked on the floor and on chairs and tables. Every available space was taken, but it didn’t seem cluttered and busy, instead it seemed unique and peaceful.  
A girl was sitting on a cushion on the floor perusing books on a bottom shelf. A spiral staircase in the middle of the store took his eyes up to a second floor balcony, which had more shelves going up to the high ceiling, as well as a few desks for working and more comfortable chairs. A woman was there working with a stack of books and a notebook and pen in her hand. This was not at all what Alec had been expecting to find inside this building, and he found himself instantly in love with it and trying to remember exactly how far it was in relation to all the key places in his life. He could see himself spending a lot of time here.

A disgruntled “meow” brought his eyes back down to the rug, and he saw that the wet sleeve of his jacket had dripped water onto the kitty’s head. “Sorry,” he whispered, and gingerly stepped over the cat. The girl on the floor must’ve heard him, because she looked up and smiled before opening the book in her hand. She crossed her legs and turned her attention to the words on the page.

Alec looked back up at the woman on the second floor. She hadn’t seemed to notice him. It was much more like a library in a home than it was a used bookstore. He looked around again, finding it odd that there was no employee or owner stationed at the counter. He thought that they must be busy putting things away, and so he quietly walked along a row of shelves and tried not to drip water onto the floor. He realized very quickly that instead of neatly placed rows of shelves, this store held a maze of them. Several times during his exploration, he found himself almost entirely surrounded by books and a cozy chair for reading, or a small desk for working, with no view of the rest of the room.

Not seeing anyone else around, he decided that he had his pick of places and he chose a green tufted chair in a nook near the front of the store. He took his jacket off and laid it gingerly over the back of the chair and tousled his damp hair with his fingers. He was dying to peruse the shelves and add some of them to his own collection at home, but he wanted to wait until he was fully dry, so he took a seat and got comfortable, pulling out his own well-loved copy of _Hyperion._ He could hear cars driving through the rain on the street outside, footsteps on the floor overhead, and every once in a while, the flipping of pages by the young girl. The sound of the rain coming down on the awning and the roof of the building provided a very calming atmosphere, and soon he was completely relaxed and disappearing into a galaxy seven-hundred miles away.

\--------------------

Magnus sat the tea cup down on the worn wood table, “Anything?” he asked Catarina, taking in the frustrated look on her face.

“Nothing particularly helpful,” she whispered. “I suppose I’ll just have to wait until the adoption attorney calls me back. I just want to be sure I’m doing this right. She deserves it.”

Magnus nodded, “She does deserve it. She deserves you.”  
Cat smiled softly, one that even met her tired eyes, “You are a dream, Magnus, you know that? And you deserve to be happy too.”

“I _am_ happy.” Magnus responded gently.

Catarina eyed him suspiciously, “You know what I mean.”

Magnus turned his attention to the nearest towering stack of books and picked the whole thing up, determined to find a place for all of them. “She’s reading Matilda for the third time this week,” he said, easily carrying them around the table and to the stairs. He paused looked back at his friend, “And yes, I’m evading your line of questioning,” he winked at her and descended the stairs elegantly, practically feeling her head shake at his back.

He knew what she meant, that she was thinking of George, Emasu, and Camille. All three he loved dearly. One lost his life, one lost his love for Magnus, and the other lost her ability to be faithful. He hadn’t been lucky in love, but he tried not to think of it, throwing himself into work and his friendships. He supposed he would always be a hopeless romantic, but it was better this way, less painful, and perhaps his time for loving someone had come and gone, so here he was not trying to find someone. He’d have to live vicariously through the characters in all his favorite books.

As he looked around, he honestly had no idea how he was going to fit all these books on the existing shelves. He had been spending all of his free time perusing sales and auctions for the shop and he seemed to have gone a bit overboard. He set them down on the counter, and grabbed a few to make the task more manageable. He made a mental note to see about adding a few more bookcases somewhere.

He reached into a jar on the counter and grabbed a piece of candy, and turned and walked over to Madzie. She looked up, her eyes lighting up in surprise and reached out to take it. Before she could say “Thank you,” Magnus silently shushed her with a polished finger to his lips and then a quick point up to where her caregiver was sitting. He had already given her too many sweets today and he knew that Cat was going to scold him for ruining her dinner. Madzie understood and mimed zipping her lips. Magnus winked at her mischievously and set off to find homes for the errant volumes in his arm.

Magnus was walking by a section of shelves when something caught his eye. He stopped and took three steps backwards. He stared for a moment, then looked back at Madzie, who was still reading on the floor, and at Mr. Fluffy, who was still trying to win the award for world’s laziest cat. Everything else in the shop was the same, but this...this was new. All he could see from where he was was a very long leg and a hand dangling over the arm of one of his favorite green chairs. A _beautiful_ hand. He idly wondered if the man played piano.

Curious, he walked into the space. He moved with confidence and purpose to the shelf opposite the man, luckily finding empty spots there, and not bothering to care if they were even in the appropriate section. When he had just one book left, he turned to look at the shelves around the mystery patron. He tried to focus. He really did, but his eyes found their way to the man in the chair and he couldn’t peel them away.

He was completely focused on the tattered book in his hand, which in itself made Magnus gleeful. He was an absolute picture of perfection with his tousled dark hair, long eyelashes, beautiful face, and gorgeous body. He was also heavenly tall, that outstretched leg seeming to go on for a mile up close. Magnus wondered which romance novel he had walked out of and which sorceress made this happen. He realized that there was a jacket folded over the chair and drying water drops all over his gray t-shirt, and he couldn't believe that this model of a human had been wet and stripping in his store and he had missed it. “Who are _you_?”

The man looked up at him with hazel eyes, and it was far too easy for Magnus to focus on his mouth as he asked, “Uh, sorry?”

That's when Magnus realized he had actually asked the question aloud and not simply in his head.

“Where did you come from?” Magnus asked, trying and failing to sound less forward than the first time he spoke.

“Oh, um..well-” He closed the book and placed it in his lap, then used his hands to gesture toward the entrance, “It was raining and I….well, the door was open and-”

Magnus smiled and put his palm out in a placating gesture. “Off course. We are open, it’s just that I didn’t hear anyone come in. You’re welcome to stay as long as you like.” His words were calm, but he felt anything but, a flutter of excitement and nerves running through him at the sound of the other man’s deep voice.

His words were met with a smile so big and bright that he couldn’t help but return it as the frenzy in his stomach doubled.

“Oh, right. Thanks.” He held up his book. “It’s been awhile since I’ve been able to just sit and read like this.”

“Hmmm, a Sci-fi fan?” Magnus asked, eyeing the title.

“Yeah. It’s kind of a guilty pleasure of mine.” He grimaced as he said it, like it was something particularly scandalous.

Magnus found himself more fascinated with this man every second. “Everyone has a guilty pleasure. I promise not to tell yours.” He thought of a specific book on a shelf above his desk. Maybe…..“I see you are almost done with that one.”

Alec glanced at his place in the book, “It’s a favorite of mine. The whole series is, actually.”

Magnus decided that he absolutely must go get that book. “May I make a recommendation?”

“That would be great.” he responded..

“Stay here. I’ll be right back.” Magnus told him before hurrying off to the back staircase and up to his small office. He quickly grabbed the book from it’s spot and returned to find his dreamy new patron exactly as he had left him. He handed the book over and watched with anticipation.

“Dune,” he read the cover, awe clear in his voice.

“You know it?” Magnus asked.

“I know it well. I love it. I loaned my copy out and never got it back,” he replied, flipping through the pages of the antique book.

Magnus’ delight was clear in his voice, “Wonderful. It’s yours.”

“Mine?” he asked, inspecting the first few pages gently. “Whoa..wait. This is a first edition. This is a signed first edition.”

“Yes, it was quite a good find. “I actually got it in a small town outside of London, believe it or not. I was beyond lucky to stumble upon it.”

“That’s...that’s unbelievable. How much?” he asked him, standing.

It was crazy to think that another person rising to their full height could make his own knees weak, but here he was in that very situation. He swallowed as he took a step closer. “I don’t remember how much I paid for it. Definitely not what it was worth. Like I said, it was lucky.”

“No, no, I mean, how much do you want for it?” He clarified, running his elegant fingers over the perfectly intact dust jacket.

“Nothing.” Magnus said, bewildered. I want you to have it.”

He frowned at Magnus’ words, eyebrows furrowing, I can’t..It’s just, I don’t know...I can pay-”

“Please.” Magnus interrupted him. “As you can see, I have no shortage of books around here, and it always makes me sad when people loan out books and don’t ever see them again. It would make me happy for you to keep it. Truly.”

“Wow, okay. This might be the nicest thing anyone has ever given me. If you ever need help with anything, let me know.”

Magnus was the one who frowned this time. He wondered how it could be that no one was showering this man with lavish gifts. He had known him all of five minutes and he had given up one of the most valuable books in his personal collection without even second guessing it. He didn’t even allow his brain to venture to ideas of the many things he could possibly want from this man. “Well I suppose now that we are dealing in books and favors, we should be formally introduced.” He stuck out his hand, “I’m Magnus.”

“Alec.” he said, shaking his hand while his face lit up in a lopsided grin.

Alec, Magnus repeated in his head. He wanted to know everything there was to know about him, but it would have to wait until another time.

He knew it was almost time for his book club group to come in, and he really needed to make tea for them, especially given the horrible weather. “Unfortunately I need to be going, but I hope to see you again, soon.”

“For sure, and thank you again for this. I’ll have to buy at least ten books a week from you to show my gratitude.”

“Oh, well, I wouldn’t argue with having a reason to see you every week, Alexander.” Magnus said, then turned on his heel and left with a quick wave before his mouth could further get his heart into a situation he wasn’t yet ready for.

_**A week and a day later** _

Try as he might, Magnus couldn’t deny that he was disappointed. He also knew that it was completely ridiculous for him to be feeling this way. It had been a great week at the shop and for him personally. He had gotten to see Madzie nearly every day, Catarina was making progress with the adoption lawyer, Ragnor had come out of hiding to take him to lunch, and he had sold so many books that he almost didn’t need to build new shelves.

Maybe he should just close down the place early today and go peruse the book sales. So much for not needing more storage, he thought, as he busied himself with straightening up the front counter. He really needed to hire someone whose job it was to just sit there, but nothing had ever been stolen and he didn’t see a reason to bore someone to death with such a mundane job.

He gave up on tidying, too agitated to be productive and plucked a random book off the shelf in his favorite section and sat down in his usual chair, crossing one leg over the other and resting his chin in his hand, he began to read.

Madzie came in some time later, having been dropped off by Caterina. Magnus had offered a while ago to let her stay with him while she got errands and shopping done, because frankly, single-parenting seemed like the most exhausting job on the planet and Magnus really didn’t want his friend aging faster than she needed to. Besides, he really enjoyed spending time with Madzie. She had excellent manners and was voracious reader, and he approved of both, plus, she livened up the place.

He smiled and waved at her as she helped herself to a treat, then watched her disappear out of sight. He knew she was looking for the cat. A few moments later she came back, the kitty trailing behind her, and a giggle escaping her mouth. Magnus looked at her in question.

“You are twins,” she said, still giggling, and gesturing back and forth between Magnus and a section of his shop that he couldn’t see, but had been in way too many times this week.

“Who are twins?” Magnus asked, his heart rate already picking up in anticipation of the answer.

“You and that guy reading your book.” She responded, already moving to the shelf to choose a book.

Magnus thought about how smart it was that she had only been in his tiny office a few times, but yet recognized a book he had owned even when someone else had it in their possession. The implications of what she said finally hit him, and he jumped up, dropping the poor book onto the floor with a thud. He leaned down and picked it up, “Sorry,” he whispered, laying it in the seat of the now unoccupied chair and walking quickly over to the last place he saw Alec.

He rounded the corner and there he was. Magnus was beyond elated to see him again, but he pushed his feelings down and stood there for a few moments, simply watching him. Madzie was right in that they had been sitting exactly alike, except he knew there was no way he had looked as beautiful as this.

He was wearing a long sleeved green shirt today, a reflection of the cooler day they were having, and it hugged his arms and chest in ways that sent Magnus’ imagination into overdrive. He settled against the nearest shelf, but decided it wasn’t polite to just sit there and stare, as much as he may want to. He cleared his throat and said quietly, “Well, hello”

Alec looked up at him, “Hi.”

“Sorry to interrupt, It’s just that I’ve been told that we were reading in the exact same position and I had to come see for myself.” Magnus said, crossing his arms across his chest when he realized how silly that sounded out loud.

“Is that so?” Alec asked, his eyes lighting up.

“Mmmhhhmmm. And who are we to argue with a nine-year old?” Magnus asked, twisting his ring around out of habit.

Alec grinned, “Nine-year olds are usually right, but what were you reading? I bet it wasn’t as good as what I was reading.”

“Let’s just say it wasn’t,” Magnus agreed.

“Oh, come on. You know my favorite genre. You’re even helping me support my habit,” Alec said.

Magnus studied him for a moment. He very much liked this playful banter, and he found that he could easily be friends with him. He decided to risk being made fun of. “Oh, fine, if you must know, I mostly read historical romance, but I’ve read just about everything, including the book in your hand.”

“Historical romance is good. There’s something great about going back in time, and experiencing love in every era.” Alec said, surprising Magnus.

Magnus wasn’t too keen on talking about love, “Yes, well this particular book wasn’t that riveting, which is how I’m positive you didn’t sneak by me, yet here you are in my shop, unbeknownst to me, for the second time in a week. How does such a tall man hide so easily?”

Alec laughed deeply, and it set Magnus’ soul on fire in a way that made him want to revisit the love subject. “It’s been eight days, and anyway, Maybe you should get a bell for your door instead of a guard cat.”

Magnus pretended to think on that option, pressing a polished finger to his mouth and tapping gently for a few moments before answering the question that wasn’t really a question. “I do love a challenge, Alexander. A bell would be just too easy. Where’s the fun in that?”

“Same challenge next week?”

Magnus smiled, “Absolutely.”

Alec stood from the chair, gathering his things. “I’ll even make it easy on you and tell you what day I’ll sneak by you.”

Magnus blanched, “Oh no! Don’t take it easy on me.”

Alec threw his backpack over his shoulder and moved closer to Magnus. You are just in his path to the door, Magnus reminded himself when his heart started thrumming fast.

“I didn’t say anything about taking it easy.” Alec said, then seemed to duck his head almost nervously and walk toward the door.

Magnus followed him, definitely taking the opportunity to check _all_ of him out.

Just before he walked through the door, Alec looked up and said, “I’m off on Sundays, not that it’s the day I’ll come back in or anything, just….you know, for your information.”

Magnus thought that Sunday was sure to become his new favorite day of the week.

**_A week and a day later, again. Not that Magnus is counting_ **

Magnus didn’t even try to deny his disappointment this time when Sunday came and went and there was no sign of Alec. He didn’t watch the door all day and almost give every person who walked in a “know-it-all” look, he most certainly didn’t check the green chair at least twenty times, and he absolutely did not pick up chinese takeout and go home and watch a romantic comedy by himself in bed. That would be absurd.

The question nagged from the back of his mind all day long. Why would he go through the trouble of saying “Sunday” if he didn’t intend to stop in that day? _Things happen, Magnus. People get busy,_ he told himself.

When Monday arrived, and he opened the shop with all of the recollection of those things he definitely did not do, he had no choice but to give himself a pep talk, straighten his waistcoat, put on a ton of eyeliner, and act like the badass business owner he was.

The day went on, business as usual. Magnus had quite a few customers with some interesting requests and he helped people find books and talked about books all day long. When Madzie came in after school, Magnus was genuinely happy to see her. He sat in a quiet corner with her and read Charlotte’s Web for a long time, only getting up once to go make them hot chocolate.

He was just coming back with the mugs when a tall frame caught his attention. _No way_. This man absolutely had a penchant for knowing when Magnus was at the back of the store and busy with something. He pushed down his feeling of relief at seeing Alec standing there, his back to Mangus, looking over the titles of the books on a shelf.

He walked the cups over to Madzie, ignoring Alec’s eyes on him as he went by, and sat them down. Then he finished reading the last few pages of the current chapter to her and kissed her on the head, finally walking over to Alec.

He must have heard Magnus approaching, because he looked up at him, “Hey,” he said. Magnus pretended he didn’t feel a thousand different things upon hearing his voice again.

“Hello. Glad you made it. Are you looking for something in particular?” Magnus asked in his most professional voice.

“Uh, yeah. My sister is looking for this fashion book. I can’t seem to find it anywhere, and her birthday is coming up.”

“Do you know the name of it?” Magnus asked.

“Yeah, well, I had it saved in my Amazon cart. Here, I’ll just pull it up.” Alec said, taking his phone from his back pocket and swiping the screen.

Magnus scrunched his nose and squinted his eyes at the mention of Amazon and Alec looked at him sheepishly before showing him the picture.

“Ah!” Magnus said, recognizing the book. That’s a popular one, but it’s out of print. I know where we can get one for you, though.

“Really?! Thank you so much. She’s going to love it.” Alec looked genuinely happy at the mention of his sister, and it made Magnus happy too, and also made him almost long for siblings of his own.

“No problem. Let me just write myself a note.” He said, walking the few feet to his counter and grabbing pen and paper.

Alec didn’t move from where he was, and when Magnus turned back around he was just standing there, staring at him like he had something to say.

“Alec?”

“Magnus, I uh, I just want to say sorry for not coming in yesterday like I said I was going to,” Alec said, standing with both hands behind his back and sincerity in his eyes.

“Oh, that? Don’t worry. I thought you just threw me a false clue, so that you could get me again,” Magnus said effortlessly. He was amazed how easily he could slip back into that protective facade.

“I wish that had been the case, but instead…” Alec started.

“Really, don’t worry. Things happen,” Magnus reassured him.

Alec scoffed, “Yeah, well, things happened. I forgot about a date until ten minutes before I was due to show up.”

Magnus’ stomach dropped. Alec on a date. Why was that so utterly painful? Perhaps he missed the dating scene more than he realized? “Oh? Well hopefully your significant other forgave you,” He could barely choke the words out.

Alec shook his head, “Oh no, this was a first date. A blind date.”

Magnus’ eye widened. “Wow. Those can be interesting.”

“Right?! I don’t even know why I agreed to it. It was atrocious.”

Magnus couldn’t believe how much better he felt upon hearing that Alec’s date was less than perfect, and that he was also unattached. “Atrocious is a strong word.”

“Abysmal. It was abysmal,” Alec confirmed. “I’m scarred for life. Never dating again.”

Magnus frowned. “I’m sorry, but I’m going to need details before I believe such words can be associated with this date.”

“Do you have all night?” Alec asked.

“Actually, I do. But, first coffee?”

“Sure,” Alec said with a soft smile.

As Magnus was walking to the coffeemaker, he heard Alec say to Madzie, “Hi! I need to buy twenty books today. Do you have any recommendations?”

Magnus’ heart definitely didn’t melt into a puddle right there on the spot.

_**To be continued……..** _


End file.
